Throughout history, women have overcome tremendous odds to make lasting contributions to science. In Meeting the Challenge, Magdolna Hargittai shares their stories.
For centuries, women scientists have faced seemingly insurmountable barriers to success in their careers. Yet many have excelled in science, achieving some of the most important scientific breakthroughs in history. In her latest book, Magdolna Hargittai discusses over 120 such women scientists. The book details the lives and careers of women scientists from the past and present, from various parts of the world, and representing many different fields, including physics, chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, and medicine.
Among the pioneering women profiled in the book are Nobel laureate and astronomer Andrea M. Ghez, medicinal physicist and Nobel laureate Rosalyn Yalow, Rosalind Franklin, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, and COVID-19 vaccine pioneer Katalin Karikó. The book also includes vignettes on the ecologist and author of Silent Spring, Rachel Carson, the primatologist Jane M. Goodall, and many others. These women demonstrate that despite the persistent idea that "science is not for women," women can and do succeed in science, even if success often requires courage and perseverance.
Meeting the Challenge presents compelling human stories to inform and entertain readers and encourage those considering careers in science. By detailing the lives and achievements of many of the most important women scientists in history, the book makes a significant contribution to the history of science and provides role models for those interested in pursuing scientific careers.
Magdolna Hargittai is a research professor of structural chemistry at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. She is a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Academia Europaea (London) and holds a PhD, DSc, and Dr hc. She has researched and taught on the lives and careers of women scientists and is the author of Women Scientists: Reflections, Challenges, and Breaking Boundaries (OUP 2015). Dr. Hargittai and her husband, Istvan, have jointly published extensively on symmetry, science history, and conversations with famous scientists. More recently, they have written on the memorials of scientists in Budapest, New York, Moscow, and London. Dr. Hargittai's books have appeared in English, Hungarian, Russian, German, Swedish, and Korean.
